SpaceX Falcon 9 Full Thrust - SES-10 - Launching March 30, 2017
Screenshot from SpaceX Webcast of the launch of SES-10
Mission Rundown: SpaceX Falcon 9 FT - SES-10
Written: January 28, 2021
First re-flight of a 1st stage booster
After several launch attempts and delays, SES-10 was launched on 30 March 2017 aboard a Falcon 9 Full Thrust. The launch marked the first time in aerospace history that an orbital class first stage was successfully reused. The first stage was recovered for a second time, setting another record. A third record is a successful splashdown of a payload fairing.
SES disclosed that they had contracted with SpaceX for launch services. While initially thought to be launched aboard a Falcon Heavy due to performance limitations of the Falcon 9, it was clarified that it would, in fact, launch aboard the smaller rocket. At that time, it was believed that the launcher could only perform geosynchronous transfer orbit missions of up to 4 850 kilograms (10 690 lb), but SpaceX spokeswoman Emily Shanklin disclosed that the company had reserved 450 kilograms (990 lb) for its own use.
On 30 August 2016, it was announced that SES-10 would launch aboard a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2016. First on 30 March 2017, did it launch from Pad 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX became the first to reuse an orbital rocket's first stage, booster B1021, who previously launched the 23rd Falcon 9 mission with CRS-8.
After delivering the payload, the first stage landed on a drone ship, becoming the first orbital rocket stage to return from space for the second time. Additionally, one of the payload fairings remained intact after a successful splashdown achieved with thrusters and a steerable parachute. After how many previous recovery attempts that’s unknown.
The Payload
SES-10, is a geostationary communications satellite owned and operated by SES S.A. and designed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space on the Eurostar E3000 platform. It is positioned at the 67,0° West position thanks to an agreement with the Andean Community to use the Simón Bolivar 2 satellite network. It replaces AMC-3 and AMC-4 to provide enhanced coverage and significant capacity expansion.
SES-10 has a pure Ku-band payload with 55 transponders offering direct-to-home broadcasting and enterprise and broadband connectivity. Its three wide beams cover Mexico and the Caribbean, Brazil, and Spanish-speaking South America.
SES-10 is based on the three axis stabilised Eurostar E3000 satellite bus. It has a mass of 5 281,7 kilograms (11 644 lb), produces 13 kW with a design life of 15 years.
It uses a hybrid approach for spacecraft propulsion, using bi-propellant propulsion for orbit raising and electric propulsion for station keeping. Its electrical system uses a Hall-effect thruster with a Xenon regulator and feed system supplied by ArianeGroup. ArianeGroup also supplies fourteen S10-21 10 Newtons (2.2 lbf) thrusters for the reaction control system, plus 17 pyro valves and 13 fill and drain valves. The latter must be part of the plumbing of the Eurostar 3000 satellite bus, but valves are used to direct propellants and gasses to rocket thrusters and the Hall effect thrusters.
The 13 fill and drain valves must be used for loading bipropellant and Xenon gasses, which could be a lengthy process if it should be done safely. The satellite bus contains at least four large propellant tanks inside its main body, and at least one Xenon COPV tank.
On 15 May 2017, the satellite became fully operational at 67.0° West.
Booster B1021-2 is currently awaiting a permanent display stand at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. A hangar is its current home, but it’s showing its age.
CEO Ms. Shotwell and an aluminum grid fin just for size comparison. 5 x 6 feet at least
This booster in the background may be the used booster B1021-1 just before its prepping to fly with SES-10 from LC-39A in the Kennedy Space Center. Well there is one in five chances of that, because by this interview there have been eight landed Falcon 9 boosters of which three boosters B1019, B1022 and B1026 won’t fly again.
It shows the sodding after its landing, the aluminum plasma burns on the at least 4 inch thicker interstage, the row of big aircraft grade fastener screws and a cold gas thruster box used to control pitch, yar and roll during free fall from stage separation. Not shown is the big thrusters that kicks the weightless propellant towards the fuel intake valves, so in flight maneuvers: Boost Back Burn, Reentry Burn and Landing Burn may be executed.
